plate no. 4478
Portrait of Princess Maria Ivanovna Kochubey
Christina Robertson, 1845
experienced study
Recreating this painting will help students develop skills in portraiture, particularly in capturing likeness and rendering realistic skin tones, as well as in depicting the folds and highlights of fabric.
technical profile
palette complexity
4
brushwork visibility
3
value contrast
3
compositional simplicity
3
study guide
est. 20 hrsapproach — 8 steps
- step 01
Create a light sketch outlining the main shapes: head, shoulders, dress, and piano.
- step 02
Establish the background with thin washes of color, focusing on the overall tone and atmosphere.
- step 03
Block in the skin tones on the face, neck, and arms, paying attention to the subtle variations in color and value.
- step 04
Begin layering the dress, using highlights and shadows to create the illusion of volume and texture.
- step 05
Refine the facial features, adding details to the eyes, nose, and mouth.
- step 06
Add details to the piano and music sheet, keeping them secondary to the main subject.
- step 07
Adjust the overall composition, ensuring that the colors and values are balanced and harmonious.
- step 08
Add final highlights and details to complete the painting.
color palette
primary · titanium white · ivory black · cadmium red · yellow ochre
secondary · burnt umber · ultramarine blue · alizarin crimson
Mix skin tones using white, yellow ochre, cadmium red, and a touch of burnt umber. Achieve the dress's sheen by mixing white with small amounts of blue and yellow ochre, and layering highlights.
techniques
- ·portraiture
- ·glazing
- ·blending
- ·scumbling
- ·rendering fabric
common pitfalls
- →Overmixing colors, resulting in muddy tones.
- →Getting the proportions of the face wrong.
- →Failing to capture the subtle variations in skin tone.
- →Overworking the details, making the painting look stiff and unnatural.
materials
surface · stretched canvas
required
- ·stretched canvas
- ·titanium white oil paint
- ·ivory black oil paint
- ·cadmium red oil paint
- ·yellow ochre oil paint
- ·burnt umber oil paint
- ·#2 round brush
- ·#6 flat brush
optional
- ·palette knife
- ·linseed oil
- ·turpentine
- ·medium gloss
Use high-quality oil paints for best results. A smooth canvas surface will allow for easier blending.
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